Private Herbert Boys
21776 8th Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
Killed in Action 20th July 1916, aged 22
Lived at 6 Jockey Street
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France
Wood Top School Memorial, Burnley

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“Afraid of Nothing”
Striking Tributes to a Brave Burnley Lad (Burnley News )

As indicated in our Wednesday’s issue, Mr. and Mrs. Boys, 4, Cowper street, Burnley, have this week been officially informed that their son, 21776, Private Herbert Boys, King’s Own R. Lancaster Regt., was killed in action between July 18th and 20th. They were prepared for this intimation by a letter which reached them on Sunday, from Corporal A. McMahon, of the same regiment. The letter ran:

“Dear Mrs. Boys, - I am writing you these few lines to let you know your son Herbert, is reported missing, and believed killed. I know it will be a great blow to you, and will cause you great grief and pain, but I hope and trust that God in His great mercy will help you to bear it. Your son had been with me all day, during which time the German’s assaulted us to such an extent that we had to retire, and we had no chance to help anyone. I saw Herbert running with a party just in front of me. A shell dropped in amongst them, and not one of the party has been seen since. I miss him very much, for he was one of my best lads, always willing and cheerful, and ready to do his duty. As we both came from Burnley, we were always on the best terms. I will now close, with my great sympathy, and that of the lads left in the platoon.”

The following letter was received on Thursday of last week from a Hampshire hospital. The writer was Pte. Albert Holden, an Accrington man:-

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Boys, - I should be glad to hear any news of your son Herbert, as I was a big chum of his in France, but after July 17th I have not seen or heard of him, although I made inquiries of many who knew him. I am glad to say he was never afraid of anything that might come. He was a good believer in God. He spoke to me many a time of you both, and also of his sweetheart. I am sure how dearly you all loved him. I hope and pray he is still amongst the living. The night we went up into the enemy’s lines we both had a hard task on. We had both to help with the machine guns, and that was no easy task, for the muddled lanes and fields were full of shell holes. It was wholesale murder that day.”

The late Pte. Boys was 22. Before he enlisted he was a weaver at Cowpe’s Hargher Clough. He was an only child. He was connected with St. John’s Church, and with the school at Wood Top connected with that church, and he bore an excellent character. He was well known and very well liked.

An only Son
Burnley Parents' Grief (Burnley Express 2/8/1916 (P))

Yesterday morning Mr. and Mrs. Boys, of 4, Cowper street, Burnley, received official information that their only son Private (21776) Herbert Boys, of the 8th Batt., Royal Lancaster Regiment, was killed in action in France between July 18 and 20. This followed the receipt of the following letter from Corpl. A. McMahon:-

“Dear Mrs. Boys, - I am writing you these few lines to let you know your son Herbert, is reported missing, and believed killed. I know it will be a great blow to you, and will cause you great grief and pain, but I hope and trust that God in His great mercy will help you to bear it. Your son had been with me all day, during which time the German’s assaulted us to such an extent that we had to retire, and we had no chance to help anyone. I saw Herbert running with a party just in front of me. A shell dropped in amongst them, and not one of the party has been seen since. I miss him very much, for he was one of my best lads, always willing and cheerful, and ready to do his duty. As we both came from Burnley, we were always on the best terms. I will now close, with my great sympathy, and that of the lads left in the platoon who were very sorry to lose Herbert. The action in which your son was missed took place on July 18.”

Private A. Holden, of the same regiment, whose home is in Accrington and who has lost a brother (killed) wrote from Eastleigh Hospital to Mrs Boys stating that he received a wound in the shoulder in the fighting for Delville Wood. He was Private Boys; colleague, and wrote:--

“I am glad to say Herbert was never afraid of anything. He spoke to me many a time of you both, and also of his sweetheart. The night we went up into the enemy’s lines we both had a hard task. We had both to help with the machine guns, over muddy lanes and fields full of shell holes."

Private Boys was alive at the time Private Holden was hit.

Private Boys was aged 22 years, and formerly worked as a weaver at Messrs. Cowpe’s Hargher Clough shed. He enlisted eight months ago, and had been in France just four months. He was connected with Wood Top School and had played with the school football team.